By Yongo wa Yongo also known as Emmanuel Mwanyongo
Malawi stands at a critical juncture – a juncture defined by a deepening crisis of leadership, politics and governance. It is against this backdrop that I write, in my personal capacity as a concerned citizen (not as a politician), to endorse the urgent formation of a grand opposition electoral alliance, tentatively dubbed the 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗶 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 (𝗥𝗠𝗔).
My biggest concern as we approach the forthcoming general elections is the heightened risk of a presidential runoff; a scenario that poses significant legal, financial, and political threats to our fragile democracy.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘀
With the current fragmentation among opposition parties, it is highly improbable that any single presidential candidate will secure the constitutionally mandated threshold of 50% plus 1 vote in the first round.
In such an event, the law requires a runoff to be held within 60 days; a provision Malawi is neither politically nor financially prepared to execute.
The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) has publicly acknowledged it does not have the finances to conduct a runoff election.
As a result, the incumbent may remain in office beyond the 60-day constitutional timeframe, pending the availability of funds. This legal vacuum could breed uncertainty, instability, and undermine democratic legitimacy.
𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲
It is within the power and responsibility of opposition parties to avert this looming constitutional and political crisis. This moment therefore demands:
- 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲: A genuine and ego-free conversation among opposition leaders, particularly from DPP, UTM, PP, AFORD and other willing parties.
- 𝗔 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁: Agreement to rally behind one strong presidential candidate who embodies the collective aspirations of the opposition and the people of Malawi.
- 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Coordinated support in parliamentary and local government elections, whereby parties agree to back the strongest candidates in each constituency or ward, rather than competing against one another.
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 2020: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲
While the 2020 Tonse Alliance brought hope before the election, it also left a legacy of mistrust due to the absence of a clear legal framework for coalition governance. It was just a gentleman’s agreement over a cup of coffee or a glass of whisky (whatever the case might have been), with its success and sustainability at the mercy of the President. To avoid repeating such a mistake, the opposition parties must:
- 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿-𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼:
(a) Develop a joint policy platform and campaign manifesto;
(b) Define terms of engagement, power-sharing structures, and governance priorities;
(c) Establish clear rules for candidate selection and electoral cooperation across all levels of government.
- 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 to introduce legislation on political coalitions and electoral alliances in the first sitting of the next Parliament. This will institutionalise alliance-building and provide legal clarity moving forward.
𝗔 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹
I therefore call upon:
- 𝗛.𝗘. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳. 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗮 (President of the Democratic Progressive Party – DPP)
- 𝗛.𝗘. 𝗗𝗿. 𝗝𝗼𝘆𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗮 𝗠𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗮 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 (President of the People’s Party – PP)
- 𝗗𝗿. 𝗗𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗼 𝗞𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲 (President of the UTM Party – UTM)
- 𝗘𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗶 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗸𝘂𝗳𝘄𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗮 (President of the Alliance for Democracy – AFORD),
and 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹, to heed the cry of the masses of our people, and 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳.
Now is the time to 𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲, to 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱, and to 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 Malawi from the path of uncertainty. The people are watching. History will remember those who 𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗰𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻; and those who did not.
Concerned Citizen,
𝒀𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒐 𝑾𝒂 𝒀𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒐.
